Stories From The Heart
by narsenic
Summary: A series of vignettes and short stories, exploring the relationship between our favorite couple. Could go on to feature other couples. Expect content based in present day, the Silver Millennium, manga/Crystal based, 90s anime based, real world, and AU.
1. Air

**Author's note: Hi world, I'm trying to get back into writing again. I figure a good start is some vignettes to get me going. I've been feeling inspired lately and could use the outlet so here I am. I'm going to aim for at least one update a week, while I work on my story, Listen To Your Heart, that I got stuck on years ago and gave up on. I've been slowly getting inspiration again and want to do a total rewrite, but in the mean time I need a warm up and see if I can even write something worth reading at all. I'd appreciate any comment and feedback to help me get better! **

**In case you didn't know, I do not own Sailor Moon. Enjoy!**

_He breathed in_. There she was…_smiling,_ _again_, and the simple action of taking in air seemed to escape him. Once again, he had to make the conscious effort to make his body preform a basic function. It was always more difficult when she wasn't next to him. Across the room scattered with young teens playing arcade games, the pinging sounds and flashing lights hard to ignore to everyone but him as there she stood smiling. It was all-consuming. He had loved her in this life and the last and if he was lucky, he'd have a chance to love her in the next.

He watched as a few boys from her school chatted with her. They were undoubtedly attracted to her, and who could blame them? She was the light of the universe, descendant of the greatest deity ever known. Her soul was pure and beautiful, and her physical beauty shined with it. It was impossible not to notice, he knew this well. So the naïve boys made their attempts, while she was none the wiser. To her, they were simply talking, so she smiled and engaged in conversation pleasantly. He didn't mind at all, he simply smirked. Those young boys could never understand the love they shared.

_He breathed out_. The boys had reluctantly given up their attempts for the day, parting ways with his beloved. He was relieved that her attention could now be given fully to him. He needed her love more than oxygen. If they were apart, even by a few meters, he would always be holding his breath until the moment they were together again. So when she was free from her innocent pursuers and she turned to him and smiled, it was like the world started turning again after being stuck in place. He returned her smile, letting it light up his eyes as they did only for her.

_She breathed in_. He had given her that smile that he reserved for her and only her. It was fresh air to her whole being. She always enjoyed interacting with her classmates but there was no human interaction that could give her what he gave her in that _one single smile_. It meant everything to her. The smile that had been on her own face only grew uncontrollably as she walked across the room to him. It had been a long day at school and they could finally be together again.

She watched his eyes as they watched hers, neither able to look away for a second as she made her approach. The noises in the background disappeared to her as soon as their eyes had locked, as sound always did when his attention was on her. Soon, the distance between them began to disappear as well. Her head had to start to tilt up to look at him as they grew closer. Their arms began to reach for each other as soon as they could reach warm skin and soon her arms snaked around his neck as his snaked around her waist. Their eyes had never left each other. It didn't take long before his head began to lean down at the same time as hers leaned up and their eyes began to close. When their lips finally made contact, the air in the room became lighter.

_Everyone in the room breathed out_. Some sighed in quiet resignation, while some signed in longing for that same feeling shared between the two lovers in the arcade. The boys who had been hoping beyond hope hung their heads, but they could not feel bitterness. After all, the sight of their embrace gave the room hope. Someone out there was waiting for them to feel that feeling with them. Someone out there was holding _their breath too_.


	2. The Dark Night

**Author's note: Hey guys, sorry this one took a bit longer than I was expecting! It's also waaaay longer than just a vignette but I got carried away so oh well. This is meant to be a superhero universe instead of a magical girl universe story. It's not a style of Sailor Moon fanfic that gets written a lot I think, so this is a good way to test to waters to see how this kind of fic goes over in this community. I also updated the rating to T as it deals with some violence. Hopefully you all enjoy!**

A dark figure sat perched atop a warehouse at the docks in the Minato ward of Tokyo. It was the dead of night and the figure was dressed in all black, blending in to the darkness, except for a white domino mask. It was the figure of a man with a handsome face and jet black hair that matched his attire. Behind the mask, his eyes were set on a cargo ship, gently rocking from the night time breeze on the bay, which was docked directly in front of the building he hid on.

Minato itself was a peaceful ward, with its population being among the wealthiest in Tokyo. Crime there was few and far between and these docks didn't require much supervision from law enforcement at night. However, Minato was situated directly in between the harbor and the Shinjuku ward, home to the red light district known as Kabukichō. This made it the perfect location for the Yakuza to run illegal cargo through at night.

This particular shipment had been aboard the cargo ship when it docked during the day. With the Yakuza's great financial influence, they had been able to discretely load their cargo onboard from the Philippines only to have it overlooked in the day time when the rest of the cargo on the ship was being unloaded. Their plan was to come back at night when there'd be no onlookers to see them move their shipment. After all, a shipment of undocumented women would be hard to hide during the day.

The masked man had been investigating Yakuza dealings in this territory for quite some time. He started off just stopping a few drug dealings and beatings if he came across them, to actively looking for them so he could intervene. When it started to become a regular thing, he adopted his black outfit and simple white mask to maintain his anonymity. Soon it progressed to finding the sources of various drugs to cut off supplies, learning their hierarchy, watching their movements, and _preventing_ crime. Before he knew it, the Yakuza and news sources had dubbed him "Kamen", meaning "Mask," as that was all they could see out of the darkness.

Kamen was far from the only hero in Tokyo, or even the world. As far as he knew, however, he w_as _the only one without powers that could help him fight. He did possess the power to heal himself and others, but it didn't give him any great advantage in a fight besides endurance. He had to train hard to live up to his image as Kamen, taking lessons in any martial art he could find a teacher in.

When he wasn't fighting Yakuza or training to fight, he was Chiba Mamoru, a university student studying to be a physician-scientist. He had always felt a sense of guilt using his healing powers, like he was cheating. Yes, he could heal anyone he came across who doctors might view as beyond help, and yes, he felt morally obligated not to just let someone die if he could help it, but he hated playing god. How would it be fair to the rest of the world that one person should live from an incurable disease just because they had the fortune of meeting him? What was he really contributing if he became a doctor who could cure anyone of anything, but other doctors could not? Would he have a moral obligation to heal any patient that ever came to him with his powers? There was such a burden of having the power to save lives with such ease. He knew he wanted to help people, but he could not live with the idea of helping one person at a time. He was intelligent, and he would use that to come up with practical medicine that could be used to treat people around the world. He would _not_ be a god.

Finding the time to be a full-time student and hero wasn't easy but Mamoru made it work. He budgeted his time to sleep throughout the day in frequent but short intervals. He ate small meals with many healthy snacks in between. He kept track of his water consumption to ensure he got at least the minimum required two liters a day to stay hydrated. Staying organized in his regular life made the nights of chaos far more manageable. He had been a well-organized person before the crime fighting, but his routine became even more rigid once he decided this was something he had to do.

When he was a boy, he was in a terrible car accident with his parents. Both his parents had perished and he was left with total amnesia. The police had discovered that the brakes on his parents car had been cut, leaving little doubt that the Yakuza had played a part in his parents' deaths. The Yakuza had wanted revenge on his mother. She had once been one of those women who were illegally shipped from the Philippines. They lured her and so many others to Japan by promising them a better life, only to be forced in to sex work. His mother had managed to escape and marry a wealthy business man, and that had been unacceptable to the Yakuza who viewed her as property. Mamoru was left alone, with not even the memory of his parents to comfort him. He didn't know who his parents were but he was sure they didn't deserve to die, nor did they deserve to be forgotten. Therefore, he sought to do all he could to stop the Yakuza from doing this to anyone ever again.

After collecting intelligence for weeks, he knew tonight was the night he could avenge his mother or die trying. His plan was simple; wait for the Yakuza to come collect the women, call the police to tip them off, then jump in and stall until the police arrive. From what he gathered, low-level Yakuza members would be making the run. They'd show up in a rental van, get the women from where they were hidden, and drive from there to Kabukichō. At this point in his hero career, the police were pretty quick to respond to his tips. He couldn't tip them off ahead of time without scaring off his target, which just meant they'd find another location to commit the crime. He would have to rely on his fighting skills to keep the situation under control before authorities arrived to finish things up.

It was exactly forty-three minutes after Kamen started his watch until the Yakuza arrived; he _had_ been keeping count _of course_. First the flood lights illuminating the immediate area shut off, making Kamen have to adjust his eyes to the low lighting. He figured the Yakuza must pay someone to have the lights shut off for them when they're expected to arrive. Next, a dark green windowless van with the lights off pulled up in the lot in between the warehouse and the cargo ship, the engine cutting as soon as it came to a stop. Kamen silently took a burner phone out of his pocket. He waited two more minutes before seeing the driver and passenger quietly get out their respective doors, as well as a third man jump out the rear loading doors. They barely made a sound shutting the doors and not a word was spoken between them. This was a routine run and they knew what they were doing. Kamen dialed a direct line to an officer he trusted.

"Furuhata," a male voice answered lightly.

"Start tracing. Docks. At least three. Dark green van, no lights, no windows, possibly no plates," Kamen's low voice said swiftly.

These phone calls the two men shared were always straight to the point. Kamen, as usual, did not wait to hear a response. Instead, he set the phone down on the ledge of the building he still stood on, without hanging up. Furuhata was fast at starting to trace his calls, but the damn thing still took time. Luckily he bought those burner phones in bulk.

With phase one of his mission complete, Kamen began to make his way down the fire escape on the side of the building. He moved quickly and quietly through the darkness down to the ground. He was nothing but another shadow in the night. Embracing the shadows, he dropped to the ground from the ladder, bending his knees dramatically to act like a spring. Hugging the building, he peered around the corner to the van sitting alone in the lot. He shifted his eyes to the ship the men had gone aboard, no sign of movement there. He spared a glance at the whole perimeter of the area before determining the coast was clear and stepping out into the open. Crouched low, taking long strides, he made it to the van in no time, going flush against the side as soon as he reached it. His eyes did another scan. It was hard to see anything in the darkness, but if a hidden Yakuza _had_ been there to see him, Kamen would probably be dead by now.

Towards the direction of the ship, the sound of shuffling feet cut through the night. It wasn't loud by any means, but it stood out against the recurring sounds in this area. Kamen lowered his body to the ground and looked under the van towards the ship. A small group was disembarking and he began to take inventory of how many there were. The original three Yakuza he had seen leave the van had been joined by another two who must have been on the ship already. One led in front, two flanked the sides, and the other two took up the rear. In between them he counted nine smaller figures. Kamen's eyes narrowed and his pulse increase. They were just _girls_, probably barely into their teen years. They shuffled along, huddling close to one another, towards the van he hid behind. As they drew closer, he could see the fear and uncertainty in their eyes. His adrenaline that had been on a steady rise all night but now it started to peak as the time to fight drew near. When the group was about ten meters away he stood up and grabbed his bo staff that he kept strapped to his back. His back against the van and his face turned towards the rear of the vehicle, he waited through those last few moments of silence and peace. When the lead Yakuza reached his hand towards the door handle, Kamen leapt out from the side of the van and began his attack.

From the look of shock on the first Yakuza's face when he kicked him to the ground, Kamen could tell they weren't expecting him. That was a good sign at least. The girls screamed and backed away while the four other Yakuza members made their way forward. Kamen spun his staff and hit the next Yakuza to approach him hard on his bicep to knock him to the side. The lead Yakuza made a move to get back up until Kamen used his head as platform to jump from and kick the third Yakuza in the face with.

One by one, Kamen would knock them down and one by one they would get back on their feet to lunge at him, but were unable to land a punch. Kamen made his way through the Yakuza so he was now standing in between them and the frightened girls. They hadn't realized what he was doing until he pushed one of them back and he was facing the five Yakuza all together with the girls a safe distance behind him. Kamen's chest heaved slightly and he stood in a fighting stance with his bo staff at the ready and his muscles tensed. The lead Yakuza snarled in resentment and ran forward and his men followed suit, but the hero continued to best them.

The back and forth went on for some time before a sound registered in Kamen's ears. It was a metallic sound and one of the girls had gasped. He spun around quickly and attempted to hit the gun that he knew was waiting there out of the lead Yakuza's hand. He swung his bo staff at him and was satisfied when the gun clanked to the ground but on his back swing, one of the Yakuza had grabbed hold of his staff. Kamen kicked behind him and succeeded in freeing his bo staff but he knew that the gun hadn't gone far and the distraction lost him his opportunity to kick it away. The police couldn't be far now, he just needed to keep focused.

While dodging punches and hitting back, Kamen tried to see where the gun had gone or if anyone had picked it up. He swung his bo staff at the nearest Yakuza and was about to aim for the next when instead of approaching him to fight, this Yakuza glanced to the side and quickly backed away. Kamen recognized the danger immediately and spun around to the sight of the barrel of a gun only a meter away from him and aimed at his head. The lead Yakuza pulled the trigger immediately, and as the shot rang out in the night, Kamen silently hoped that he had bought the police enough time to rescue the girls.

Just as fast as the bullet came rushing towards his head, a blast of pure white light came rushing at the bullet, intersecting its path. Kamen's eyes went wide as the bullet made contact with the light and disintegrated into glittering dust in the air, carried away by the light breeze. Kamen locked eyes with the Yakuza holding the gun who looked just as startled as him. Both men turned their heads towards the source of the beam of light, already knowing _who_ it came from. Standing proud on top of the van, hand on her hips and long blonde tails of hair blowing gently in the wind, was one of the most powerful superheroes in the world.

She was clad in a white dress, the skirt of which barely covered past her hips. The dress was cinched at the waist with wide golden belt adorned with crescent moon emblems. She wore white gloves that went up above her shoulders to gold arm bands. Her white boots went up above her knees where they came to a point, the tops rimmed with gold and crescent moons again. An ornate white and gold mask concealed her identity from them. She also wore a simple white neck tie, resembling the sailor uniforms worn by school children in Japan. This had earned her the name Sailor Moon. Kamen stared in awe.

The Yakuza had stood still for a moment in fear until the silence was broken by the sound of sirens. The men regained their senses and ran for it, but the police cars caught up fast. Two cars sped after the fleeing gang members past the two heroes and group of girls near the van while two other cars began to come to a stop by them. Kamen was about to bolt when the beautiful Sailor Senshi outstretched a delicate hand toward him from her now crouched position on top of the van. He reached up and grabbed hold as she leapt high into the air with him in tow. She landed them on top of the building his night had begun on and leapt away with him to the next building again and again until she was sure the people on the ground had lost sight of them in the dark.

When they came to a stop a good distance away, but near enough to see that the police had the situation under control, the two stopped and looked at each other.

This wasn't the first time she had saved him, and he guessed it wouldn't be the last. Frankly, it was starting to get on his nerves.

"Isn't this the part where you jump away and leave me here?" he questioned. She smirked at him. God she was annoying.

"Not tonight," her smooth voice responded. Was this the first time he had heard her speak?

"Okay…so…what do you want?" he asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

It's not that he didn't appreciate her help; it's just that she always waited until the last second to help and she was far more capable in a fight than him. Her and the other self-proclaimed Sailor Senshi that inhabited Tokyo had incredible powers that could have been used against Yakuza crimes a long time ago. It bothered Kamen to no end that he was the one trying to solve this problem when people like her could only be bothered to stop bullets.

"I've been watching you," she smiled, choosing to ignore his attitude.

"That much is obvious." Kamen rolled his eyes behind his mask.

"I've come to make you an offer," she stated.

Now _this_ piqued his interest. He crossed his arms, quirked an eyebrow, and waited for her to continue. She smiled.

"I want you to join my team."

He uncrossed his arms. He wasn't expecting _that_.

"Excuse me?" he said in bewilderment.

"I've seen how you fight, it's impressive. You've done some incredible work and my team can help advance your technique."

"You want _me_ to be a Sailor Senshi? What can _you_ possibly do to help me when all you and your _team_ have to do is raise your hands and banish away the monsters with some magical powers?" Now he was just getting pissed off. What made her think she was so much better than him? She smiled again, much to his dismay.

"There's more on my team than just the Senshi with a wide range of powers and some lacking power. _All_ of us train in the martial arts and are well prepared for hand to hand combat if needed. Believe it or not, we may have something to offer you."

"If your _team_ is so great, where were they all the other times the Yakuza has imported innocent girls as if they were nothing more than cattle? In fact, where were _you_?" He was almost yelling now and his accusation made the Senshi of the Moon instantly deflate.

"We didn't know it was happening…" she said with her usually proud gaze downcast. Regaining her confidence quickly, she looked back up with him with hope in her eyes.

"That's why we could use you on our team. Your detective skills are incredible. I wasn't sure about you at first, that's why I've been watching. After tonight, I'm certain you would make a great addition to the team," she explained excitedly.

Kaman shifted uncomfortably. He felt a little humbled and he wondered if maybe he had misjudged her. The people of Tokyo idolized her _so much_, he had just figured she had to be flawed in some way. Maybe she really _was_ the pure hearted girl the media portrayed her as.

"Can I think about it?" he asked after a moment.

"How about this…" she began "meet me at the top of Tokyo Tower at midnight this Friday. I'll show you some of what our team has to offer, if you're interested. There'll be no one there. Be on time." With this, she started to turn to leave him.

"And what if I'm _not_ interested?" He added quickly before she could go. She stayed in place and only turned her face back to look at him with a solemn expression.

"Well, if that's the case, I can't promise you I'll be there to stop the next bullet aimed at your head," she said sadly, not making eye contact. He was taken aback; it almost would have sounded like a threat if not for her tone of voice.

With that last sobering statement, the beautiful Senshi of the Moon jumped away into the night, leaving Kamen alone with his thoughts. It grew quiet around him and he pondered the mystery that was Sailor Moon. A part of him wanted to resist her offer, to stick to his guns and to his resentment he had been holding for other superheroes. Another part of him wanted to know _so much more_ about her. She absolutely fascinated him. He knew without a doubt he wouldn't be able to resist her offer, and once he met her Friday night, there'd be no turning back. Sailor Moon had captured his attention, and he didn't want her to let ever let it go.

**So, what'd you think?! Should we get more of this kind of fics going in the Sailor Moon community? Did I do okay with action scenes? Let me know what you all thought! Thanks for reading!**


	3. The Rose

**Hello readers! **

**Sorry this one is a little later than intended, it was a long week for me. This is another long one, not as long as the last but still crossing into the short story realm. **

**So this one is based on the idea of if Mamoru hadn't woken up with total amnesia in the hospital as a boy, but instead with the memories of being Endymion fresh in his mind. What would that have been like for him?**

**I swear I'll get around to writing something from a perspective other than Mamoru at some point but for now, I hope you enjoy!**

The first thing Endymion noticed as he slowly regained consciousness was the surface he was laying on. It wasn't _completely_ uncomfortable, just definitely not as soft as his bed in the palace. Sure, it was softer than lying on cold stone or the ground so that was a good indication that it_ was _a bed, just definitely not his own or anywhere near that high of quality. His arms lay straight on either side of him and he languidly began running his palms over the sheets that covered him, taking note of the low-quality, starchy fabric. The bed was also small, as he didn't have to reach his arms far to find the edges on either side of him. _Definitely_ _not his bed_. Perhaps some peasants had taken him in after…? He struggled to think back.

Although Endymion's eyes were already shut, he began to close them tighter as he started to become aware of the extremely bright lights in whatever room he was in. It must have been day time to be that bright. But what had he been doing before he started to wake up in this strange place?

Endymion's head turned back and forth on the pillow his head was propped up on as he tried to remember what had happened. Had there been a battle? Yes, that seemed right. He must have been injured. That thought seemed to make him aware of the pain in his head. He reached a hand up and felt a bandage around his forehead. He didn't remember how he could have gotten a head injury. A deep sigh escaped his lips and he felt a sudden longing to see Serenity…

…That's when it hit him.

The Moon, Beryl, his brainwashed Shitennou, the Sailor Senshi, and his Serenity.

He shot up in bed so fast it made him dizzy. His eyes, which had been wide in shock, squinted in the light as he took in his surroundings in terror. He was in a room with white walls with strange objects he didn't recognize all around him. The bright light he assumed was the sun, was coming from the ceiling somehow, and the window to his right revealed it was night outside. On the wall his bed was facing there was a black framed painting, but there was no actual painting. It was all black. Next to him there was a smaller similar 'painting', but instead of plain black there was a line that was _moving_ in the middle, rising and falling to a strange pinging noise that accompanied it. It was held up by an unappealing metal pedestal with many strange wires attached to it. He followed some of the wires and quickly realized they were connected to him. He held up his left arm and saw the clamp on his pointer finger with a wire and a clear tube coming out of his arm, but that wasn't all. The arm he held up wasn't his own. It was the arm of a boy. He held up both his hands in front of his face and saw the small fingers he recognized from his childhood, but how? The pinging in the background grew faster.

Endymion was now certain he had been captured by the enemy. This must be their brainwashing process. His little hands ran across the various wires hooked up to his chest. How had they turned him into a boy? And _why_?

His head whipped towards his left where a curtain hung from the ceiling shielding his view of what was beyond. Muffled voices from what sounded like another room had his senses on high alert as he struggled to make out what they were saying. It wasn't his first language but he was well versed in many languages as the Crown Prince of Earth so he tried to pick out different words to determine what they were speaking. To his surprise they were speaking _Japanese_. Not one of his better practiced languages but doable for him. Why were they speaking Japanese in the Dark Kingdom? Beryl hadn't.

From some of what he could make out, they seemed to be discussing him. Boy. 8 Years old. Head injury. Accident. And some words he didn't recognize. He needed answers.

"Hello?" he called out in their tongue. He winced at his boyish voice.

The voices on the other side of whatever room he was in silenced. There was the sound of a door opening that he couldn't see from behind the curtain. Suddenly the curtain was carefully pushed back and a man and a woman in strange white robes stepped in to view. They looked…kind. What was going on?

"Glad to see you're awake," the woman smiled. Endymion frowned.

"Where am I?" he demanded in the strongest voice his little vocal chords could muster.

"You're in a hospital," the man stated delicately.

Endymion frowned. This was unlike any hospital _he'd_ ever seen. He thought briefly that he was on another planet but for one, he'd seen the technology in the Moon Kingdom which should have been no different from the other planets in the Alliance which all shared their knowledge and two, the other planets spoke the divine language of the gods.

"How did I get here?" he questioned a little more lightly this time.

The man and woman shared a look.

"There was a car accident. Do you remember that?" the woman's voice had concern laced in it. Endymion didn't understand the word 'car'. He wondered what the translation was but he couldn't ask that. He couldn't give away who he was in case they didn't know. At least he understood accident, but the last thing he remembered was no accident. The look of confusion on his face was hard to hide, and the pair staring at him definitely noticed.

"Can you tell us the last thing _you do_ remember, Mamoru?" the man asked after a moment.

_Mamoru?_

"What did you call me?" Endymion asked without hesitation, which he instantly regretted when he saw the taken aback looks on the man and woman's faces.

"…That's your name, son," the man stated carefully. It was Endymion's turn to be taken aback.

"Son? Are you my _father_?" Endymion asked, sounding flabbergasted. The man sighed.

"No," the man said sadly, "can you excuse us for a moment?"

Suddenly things started to click into place for Endymion. He was a boy. He had been in some sort of accident causing head trauma. He had a different name. He was in Japan. The beeping that had continued in the background sped up when his heart did, it was new technology. He had been _reborn_.

The man and woman were walking away from him and he had so many questions.

"Wait!" Endymion shouted, reaching his arm towards them in desperation. When they turned back to him all the questions he had seemed to flee his mind. Did it really matter who he was or where or when he was right now? Instead he said what any boy his respective age might say in this situation.

"I'm scared."

The man and woman gave him sad looks, mirroring the helplessness and confusion that Endymion felt. Or rather, that _Mamoru_ felt.

"We'll send in a nurse in a minute to bring you water and make you comfortable, okay?" The woman said before the pair turned and walked out of sight.

That's when Mamoru put his head in his hands and began to cry.

Apparently even though you had the memories of being a full grown man, if you were thrust into the body of a boy, you had the emotional maturity of a boy. Two days after awaking in the strange hospital and learning his new identity, Mamoru still sat crying during another lonely night.

He had found out his full name was Chiba Mamoru, and that his parents in this life had died in the same crash that had stolen his memories of ever _being_ Chiba Mamoru. The doctors had told him that he had no other living family members that they knew of. It was still uncertain what would happen to him or where he would go when he got better and would be released from the hospital.

This new world he was in was so strange and so different from the world he knew. The black painting on the wall was one of the most shocking things he witnessed so far. It was something called a TV and at the click of a button, moving images of the real world would appear. He found out the year was 1999, but it didn't help him know how long ago his past life was, as Endymion's last recorded year was 5692. Obviously, time keeping had changed a bit.

What bothered him the most was not knowing what happened to Serenity. Was she killed after he was? Did she get reborn too? Was she safe? He wept for her. He wept for his friends and family that had perished before him in his past life. He wept for his parents' in this life whose only son couldn't even remember him. He wept for the life he lost on the Moon and the life he had seemingly lost now.

His whimpers and soft sobbing could be heard from the hallway outside his room. The nurses in this hospital were kind, and he had to more than once over the past couple days politely ask them to leave him alone when they came and checked on him at the sound of his distress.

It was a little past 8 in the evening, when visiting hours were ending and the hospital was quieting down while young Mamoru sat on the edge of his bed, his head hung low, while he softly sobbed. The beeping of the monitor played the sad beat of his heart to him as salty tears streamed down his face. He felt so weak, emotionally and physically. As Endymion, he couldn't remember the last time he cried, and yet here he was, unable to stop crying since he woke up in this cold room.

Hopelessness continued to consume him when he felt something touch his knee. His eyes shot open in alarm and he sucked in a breath in shock.

"Don't cry," a soft caring voice cooed at him. A little girl had her head leaning on his knee.

Could it be…?

When big blue eyes and a sweet innocent face looked up at him with a gentle smile, he knew without a doubt.

There she was. His sweet Serenity; born again, only a few years younger than him as she was before. Same colored eyes, same hair color, and same aura of light around her that brought warmth into the room. She had found him, _of course_ she had. They would always be pulled together, how could he have doubted?

"Why are you crying?" she cocked her little head to the side.

Mamoru wiped away the tears on his face with his sleeve before giving her a light smile.

"I was sad, but don't worry. I'm okay now," he reassured.

"What's your name?" her smile grew and it melted his heart.

"Chiba Mamoru."

"Hi Mamoru! My mommy just had a baby and my papa and I are on the way to see her! Look! I got her these flowers," she said excitedly, showing him the bouquet of red roses she was carrying, "you can have one!" she then pulled out one of the roses to hand to him. He took it from her hand gingerly, just brushing fingers with her as he reveled in their warmth.

"Thank you," he smiled sincerely.

"Usagi! Usagi where are you!" a male voice called from the hall.

"That's my papa, I have to go! Bye Mamoru!" she waved excitedly and turned to leave him.

"Wait! What's your name?" Mamoru called hurriedly.

"Tsukino Usagi!" she said turning around and giving him the brightest smile before skipping out of view.

Mamoru chuckled. _Of course_ her name would be _Tsukino Usagi_.

"There you are Usagi! You had me worried sick!" Mamoru heard the man speak from the hallway. He couldn't see past the privacy curtain, but he could hear the love in the man's voice and it filled his heart.

"Papa, I made a new friend!" Usagi's voice carried as the two walked away.

Mamoru's heart was filled with hope now. His love had been born in the same time and same planet and even the same _city_ as him. She was with a loving family and she seemed so happy and carefree. A strength he hadn't felt since waking up here seemed to fill him again and he became determined. He would persevere and rise above the unfortunate circumstances he had been thrust into. He would study hard and learn how to survive and thrive in this new world. He would find Tsukino Usagi again as soon as he possibly could and protect her for as long as they lived this life, and he would make sure she would always be happy. With the knowledge that she was alive and cared for, he felt he could accomplish anything. For the first time since waking up here, Mamoru genuinely smiled.

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always welcome. I'd love to know how I could improve and also let me know if any one has any story ideas they'd like me to try.**

**-Narsenic**


	4. Moonlight Densetsu

**Author's note:**

**So here's a short and sweet one this week! I tried capturing Usagi's perspective this time around. This one's shorter than the rest as I had a bit of writer's block this week, but I'm still happy with how this one turned out.**

**In response to yunacarman's review, I thank you and as for using the story line from my last chapter for a long story, I definitely _do_ want to use that in the story I'm working on but for now, I could do some more shorts based on that premise!**

**Thank you also to Astraearose-silvermoon, .16, LovetoRead613, and guest for your reviews! And thank you to all those who favorited/followed. **

**Keep those reviews coming please! 3**

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She needed to see him. Soft but determined footsteps echoed on the street, playing to the rhythm of her heart. Shivering under the cold light of the street lamps, she hugged her cardigan closer to her body. Blue eyes turned up to the moon that hung high above and its light provided her some warmth to her soul that spurred her on towards her goal. _His _warmth was what she really craved.

She was not running, so as to not draw more attention to herself, but she moved quickly. Eyes set forward; she would not slow down until she was safe in his arms. The longing she felt could not be contained.

Should someone try to stop her, she would not hesitate to drop kick them across the street. She was Sailor Moon, a hero sworn to protect this world. It wasn't exactly her first choice to use her abilities on another human, nor would it be a fair fight, but she knew how she appeared. A petite teenager, barely over 5 feet tall was an easy target in the night. Yet, she was willing to take the risk, even if it meant exposing her superhuman strength. Her heart ached to see him.

It never mattered what the reason was for her to need him. Sometimes she failed a test and needed comfort. Sometimes she got in an argument with a friend and she needed his advice. One time she saw a movie where a dog died and she was so distraught she couldn't even tell him what was wrong, but he held her and let her cry. Whatever the pain, the anxiety, the self-doubt, or the fear was, he always made it better. He was her light in the dark, helping her see clearly when her eyes were clouded. He was her warmth in the cold. She needed him, and even when she wasn't sure if he needed her, he could squash that doubt with one look.

His apartment building came into view from around a corner. Her heart beat intensified, as did the speed of her steps. Whenever his presence grew closer, her excitement grew uncontrollable. She could practically _feel_ him waiting for her inside. Maybe it was their bond, or maybe it was her hoping beyond hope that he could possibly love her as much as she loved him.

With one block to go, she saw the door to his apartment building swing open. She froze at the intersection before crossing the street, holding her breath to see if it was him. When he stepped outside and his eyes met hers, she could no longer contain herself. She ran straight towards him. He likewise headed for her with strong and determined steps. When they collided in the crosswalk, her arms went about his waist, as his went around her shoulders, resting his chin atop her head. She couldn't help the happy tear that slipped down her cheek as she smiled.

After a few moments, they pulled slightly away from each other, still embracing, to look into each other's eyes. No words were exchanged, none were needed. They both leaned in for a chaste but lingering kiss. When they pulled away again, he moved to stand at her side, with an arm around her shoulders as they walked calmly back to his apartment building. He held the door open for her as he placed a hand on the small of her back to guide her inside. The door shut behind them as the moon grew brighter and the streets of the city grew quiet again.

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**So... very short and sweet this week! Hope it could still satisfy. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**3 Narsenic**


	5. Kill or Be Killed

**Aunthor's note: Hey guy's! Sorry this one is late. I've been pretty busy and haven't had time to write but I finally got one done for you. **

**This one is dark however. So... TRIGGER WARNING: this chapter contains character suicide. **

**I decided to delve into Serenity's head in the manga when she commits suicide at the end of the Silver Millennium. It's kind of rushed but honestly, so is her decision, in my opinion. Also trying to keep it vignette length this time and not full on short story. Try to enjoy even though it's sad?**

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The seconds ticked by slowly. Her lover had only _just_ lost his life protecting her, but it felt like her had been dead for ages; far too long at any rate. She knew they meant to kill her next. She only had seconds left.

The Earth hung above this wretched scene. It was a sight that usually brought her comfort and hope but when she looked up she was only brought more devastation. The sandy brown deserts of the planet had spread like a virus, overtaking the green of the land once teeming with life. The milky white clouds in the sky she always stared at in wonder had mostly dissipated, leaving only wisps of smoky grey encompassing the orb. Even the seas that covered most of the planet had changed in color. Where there had once been deep blue, much like the eyes of her lover, there was left a sickly pale grey. It was as if the life had been leeched out of there too, or as if the blue of the skies the water reflected had also lost its color, or perhaps it was both; she would never know.

Time was running out. She glanced quickly behind her. The white marble palace, her home, stood in shambles. It was once strong, powerful, beautiful, and it would sparkle in the light of the stars. Now it was dull, stained with ash and blood, and crumbling. The balcony where she would often stand and stare at the now dead earth had collapsed. The large and impressive rotunda where the palace peaked was littered with holes in the dome. Fallen pillars lay at the base of the palace, where the brainwashed attackers continued their onslaught. Every entrance of one of their tarnished souls into the palace violated the sanctity of this glorious building constructed by the Goddess Selene herself. The safety and joy and serenity this place once offered was effectively killed by these forces of evil as well.

Time was almost gone. They would kill her soon, she knew. She spared one more glance around her. Her world, her _home_, had become a battlefield. She saw her friends in the distance. The powerful Sailor Senshi that protected her and her kingdom had each faced off against their lovers who had also succumbed to the brainwashing of the evil queen. The five pairs were all in different stages of their battles. Sailor Jupiter and Nephrite already lay on the ground, lifeless. Sailor Mercury also lay unmoving on the ground, but her lover turned opponent Zoisite stood over her as the victor, but began to sway and collapse next to her. Sailor Mars and Jadeite were still battling, but both were struggling to keep up the fight. One would strike the other down, get back up and strike back, again and again, and it was clearly beginning to wear them both down. It was only a matter of time before they both wouldn't be able to get back up. Sailor Venus and Kunzite were truly a battle to behold. They were still tirelessly attacking one another, dancing around each other in the sky like a well-choreographed ballet depicting two lovers in an endless quarrel. Neither one of them were holding back in the power of their attacks, but every hit they landed seemed to leave them unfazed, that was until one of Kunzite's attack sent Venus flying to the ground.

It was over and she knew it. There was no winning this fight. She wasn't even sure her mother, the most powerful being in the universe, could stop this. She knew she had to make a choice now before the enemy struck her down like her lover. They had meant to kill her first until he got in the way, so now she would be killed next now that he had fallen. It was kill or be killed, and he had died so they would not kill her, and she would be damned if he had died in vain. With determination in her eyes, she picked up her lover's sword lying at his side.

Time was up. She spared one last look at her fallen friends and mourned them. The enemy's sword loomed over her head. She was next. With a shaky hand she turned the sword on her. She looked at her lover's face as she plunged his sword into her own chest with all the strength she possessed. The enemy's sword stilled. As she collapsed to the ground and what was left of her world faded to black, she knew, in some small way, that she had _won_. She only hoped they would all meet again.

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**Reviews are appreciated!**

**Narsenic**


	6. The Rose Part II

"BAKA!" A shrill screech could be heard on the streets coming from the Crown Arcade. The sound was soon followed by a petite blonde with an unusual hairstyle stomping angrily out the front doors. Back inside, a young man sat drinking his coffee at the counter, acting totally unaffected.

This was not an uncommon occurrence. The young man would say something teasing to the girl and she would react, harshly. He'd typically be sitting in his usual bar stool, smirk at her, then turn away and go back to drinking his coffee. Sometimes the girl would fight back, not letting him ignore her, and sometimes, like today, she'd storm out in a rage of pigtails blowing in the breeze. Today she'd come in and whined about a bad grade and he said something like "why don't you go study?" which out of context sounded innocent enough, but no comment the man said was innocent in her eyes.

He sat sipping his coffee, eyes glued on the text book in front of him, pretending not to notice the glare from his friend working behind the counter. His friend was leaning forward, his weight on one arm on the counter; eyes squinted staring at his friend.

After a few tense moments, the young man begrudgingly looked up from his textbook.

"What?" He asked incredulously. His friend still didn't stop staring, squinting even harder now that he could make eye contact.

"Just trying to figure you out…" He still didn't move.

"Motoki, you're being weird," he looked back down at his textbook.

Motoki straightened up his posture and slammed his hand down on the countertop, not allowing his friend to ignore him.

"No, Mamoru, you're _always_ being weird! Why do you always pick on Usagi like that? She's a nice girl! Also, your little fights aren't great for business."

"I didn't say anything outlandish, Motoki. She wonders why her grades are bad, I suggested she study. It's not _my_ fault that offended her," Mamoru shrugged and tried yet again to go back to reading.

"_Bullshit!_" Motoki whispered harshly so only Mamoru could here, effectively gaining his attention back.

"Why are you pushing this?" agitation laced Mamoru's tone.

"Why do _you_ push _her_? It's not like you don't know what kind of affect your comments have on her, so don't act like you're not doing it on purpose. What I want to know is _why_."

Mamoru sighed.

It had been 10 years now since he had woken up in that hospital. He was 18 now, just starting university. Usagi was only 14, just starting high school. She didn't remember her past life as Serenity. Remembering was the burden that Mamoru carried by himself for 10 years.

After getting released from the hospital and becoming a ward of the state, Mamoru had lost contact with Usagi, who had come to see him once more in the hospital while her mother and brother were still there. Being an orphan meant he had no real control over his life, so he studied hard to learn all he could about this new world around him. He had won his emancipation when he was 15 after fighting for it for a couple of years, and he immediately tracked down the whereabouts of Tsukino Usagi. Mamoru didn't dare contact her; a 15 year old reaching out to an 11 year old might rub her parents wrong. However, he _did_ make sure the apartment he picked out was as close as he could get to her home. From the view in his living room, he could just make out the neighborhood she lived in, and he swore if he squinted he could see her house.

Eventually, the two had run into each other, and quite literally too. To Mamoru's surprise, Usagi had recognized him as the boy from the hospital, even though she had been only 4 years old at the time. Her attraction to him was instant and Mamoru was well aware of this. After all, Serenity hadn't been very good at hiding her emotions either. He knew it would be easy to resume their relationship from their past life and there was no denying how much he missed her, how much he _needed_ her in his life. This was when the teasing started.

With him having memories of their past life and her unaware, he felt that he would be taking advantage of her naivety and of the bond they shared that only he knew existed. He wouldn't enter into a relationship with her under false pretenses. Therefore, he started to push her away, just enough to keep her at arm's length.

Truthfully, he got a kick out of their daily banter. At least it kept her attention on him, even if it wasn't exactly positive.

"Well?" Motoki asked, still waiting for some sort of explanation.

Mamoru looked down and smiled.

"I guess I just like seeing her feel _something_ for me," he shrugged and took a sip of coffee and went back to reading.

Motoki looked taken aback, but didn't say anything. He could tell the two were attracted to each other and had been expressing it in an… _unhealthy_ way, and he had been hoping for some sort of confession from Mamoru. He just really didn't expect to get one.

Without a word, Motoki left Mamoru to go wipe down some empty tables. Mamoru looked at his textbook, not really reading it, and smiled.

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**Hope you liked this continuation on "The Rose"!**

**Reviews are always Appreciated!**

**Narsenic**


	7. King's Cup

**Hey guys! Sorry I fell behind on this update. My life has been a little busy lately between work, fixing my car, and I'm also going to be moving to a different state in two months which is exciting but terrifying so that has me stressed.**

**So this chapter isn't romance, but a cute get together with the girls playing King's Cup! **

**I had fun writing this one and I hope you all enjoy.**

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A delicate hand with well-manicured and polished nails reached towards a single card in a deck that was spread out, face down, in a circle. Gently, without causing a break in the circle, the selected card was raised towards the face of beautiful young woman with long raven hair. Examining the card for just a moment, the raven haired beauty flipped the card around, announcing the number on the card with a smirk on her face, the Six of Diamonds proudly showing.

"Chicks!" five girls cheered in unison. They were on the floor around a small low table in the bedroom of the raven haired girl. Each girl had a glass in various stages of fullness that they lifted in the air in toast to each other before they each took a sip. To the right of the girl with raven hair sat an equally beautiful girl, in a more subdued way, with short blue hair, fringe hanging above her eyes. To the right of the blue haired girl was a stunning blonde, hair half up, half down, held back by a large red bow. The girl to the right of her was a tall and strong beauty with brunette hair held back in a ponytail. Next to her sat another blonde, a radiant beauty with her long hair held up by two buns, the rest of her hair cascading down her back and pooling on the floor in two pigtails.

"Alright, Usagi-chan, your turn," the girl with raven hair said as she discarded her card in the middle of the circle before turning to the blonde on her left with buns, known as Tsukino Usagi.

Usagi reached forward eagerly towards the circle of cards. She, however, was not as careful in her removal of her card and ended up forming a break in the circle.

"Awww!" Usagi groaned in exaggeration.

"You know what that means!" the brunette winked.

"Drink Usagi!" the other blonde ordered with a bright smile.

Usagi gulped down a good portion of her beverage. She was no doubt in the lead of the race to finish her drink. Whether or not she was bad at this drinking game on accident or on purpose was up for debate.

After setting her glass back down, Usagi flipped over her card to reveal a Seven of Clubs to the group. Without hesitation, all five girls shot their hands high in the air, followed by a collective groan of agitation.

"Ugh! We're too good at 'Seven Heaven'!" the blonde with the bow lamented.

"Probably because of our Senshi reflexes," the blunette sighed.

"So how do we decide who lost?" the brunette asked.

"I guess we just all have to drink!" Usagi shrugged with a smile.

"Works for me," the raven haired girl said, raising her glass to her lips as the other girls followed suit.

"Okay, Mako-chan! You go!" Usagi said the brunette, Kino Makoto.

Without breaking the circle this time, Makoto confidently drew a card from the circle. She flipped it over into the discard pile in the middle, revealing the Nine of Hearts.

"Nine, rhyme!" Makoto announced.

"Ugh, I'm so bad at this one!" Usagi announced.

"We know," the raven haired woman said, crossing her arms.

"Don't be mean, Rei-chan," Usagi pouted at the raven haired girl known as Hino Rei.

"Let's just get this over with," the blunette said.

"Alright then…orange," Makoto said, turning to the blonde on her left, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

Instead of just admitting defeat and drinking to her loss, the blonde triumphantly cried "DOOR-HINGE!"

"That's a stretch, Minako-chan…" the blunette started before being cut off.

"HA! You lose! Drink, Ami-chan!" Aino Minako pointed to her blunette friend known as Mizuno Ami.

"Oh, come on Minako, you know that doesn't really rhyme," Rei challenged even as Ami had resigned and taken a sip of her beverage.

"Does too," Minako huffed and crossed her arms.

"Whatever, just take your turn Minako-chan!" Makoto demanded.

Minako uncrossed her arms and happily took a card from the pile, giving Rei a smug look from across the table, letting her know who had won this round.

When she flipped over the card showing the Four of Diamonds, she immediately slammed her hand down on the floor so hard that the girls' drinks shook on the table. Everyone went to slam their hands on the floor in unison, except Usagi, who panicked when she saw the card and went to slam her hand down too quickly with too much force and somehow ended up falling flat on her back instead.

"I think we can all agree who lost that one," Minako giggled. All the girls, with the exception of Usagi, nodded in unison.

"Aw, come on! That's not fair!" Usagi whined as she brought herself back up to a sitting position.

"How is that not fair?" Rei asked in utter indignation.

"Fine!" Usagi huffed before taking another long sip of her drink, finishing it in the process.

Rei reached under the table to where she had stowed a bottle of rum and a bottle of coke for when one of them would inevitable finish their beverages.

"Alright, Ami-chan, you go," Rei said as she mixed Usagi her next drink.

Ami drew the Jack of Spades. Minako clapped in excitement at seeing her favorite card.

"Never have I ever! YES!" Minako exclaimed.

"Ugh, I hate this one," Rei rolled her eyes.

"I love this one!" Makoto and Usagi said in unison.

"I tolerate this one. Alright, let's do this," Ami mumbled before holding up five fingers, followed by the rest of the girls.

"Never have I ever…" Ami began before being interrupted.

"Wait, are we counting experiences from our past life too? Or are we only going from this life? Because Kunzite and I did some freaky shit during the Silver Millenium," Minako questioned. Rei face-palmed.

"Hmm, that's a good question, what does everyone think?" Usagi asked.

"Well I don't know, does it really count if we haven't done something yet in this life?" Makoto pondered.

"I don't see why not, I mean, _we_ did it, _we_ remember it, we just happened to get born again," Minako shrugged.

"Honestly, it will probably make the game go faster if we don't count our past life, since we all have more experiences by combining our two lifetimes," Ami mused.

"Exactly! So we should count both," Minako nodded in determination. Rei let her forehead fall onto the table with a loud groan.

"Actually, I meant that as a reason to _not_ count both lives," Ami clarified.

"It sounds like a reason to count _both_ to me!" Usagi beamed.

"I agree! That's three against two, we're doing it," Makoto declared. Usagi and Minako nodded in confirmation. The matter was settled.

"Fine," Ami sighed, "never have I ever…" she pondered for a moment, thrown off now that she had to change her strategy, "…failed a test." Perhaps it wouldn't be so hard after all, if they all targeted Usagi.

"Oh, come on!" Usagi cried as she folded down her thumb.

"Never have I ever fallen in love with a prince," Rei said without skipping a beat, immediately picking up on Ami's strategy.

"Rei-chan!" Usagi whined while folding in her pinky finger.

"Hey, you're the one who loves this game so much," Rei shrugged.

"Fine! Well never have I ever been the Senshi of Mars!" Usagi proclaimed, turning her nose up at Rei.

"Touché," Rei said as she folded down her thumb.

"Nuh-uh, this is going to be too easy if we play it like that. No Senshi business allowed! Next thing you know, one of you is saying 'never have I ever shot lightning bolts' or something. Let's get deep and personal!" Makoto declared with passion.

"Should I go again, then?" Usagi asked. Both Makoto and Minako said yes while Ami and Rei said no all at once.

"Alright, there's only one way to settle this. Rock, paper, scissors. One round. Rei and me. Let's go!" Minako said leaning forward and staring Rei down across the table, her fist at the ready.

Reluctantly, Rei raised her fist and they began the chant to start the game. Rei formed scissors, Minako formed a rock.

"Alright Usagi, go again! Rei put that finger back up!" Minako demanded.

"Okay, um, never have I ever…owned a vibrator?" Usagi said shyly, shrinking into herself.

Both Minako and Ami put their finger down. Usagi, Minako, Makoto, and even Rei went slack-jawed staring at Ami. Now it was Ami's turn to shrink down. She couldn't seem to make herself look small enough. She wished she were a turtle or an armadillo. Anything to hide from the comments she knew were to come.

"Ami-chan!" Usagi covered her mouth in shock.

"You go girl!" Makoto congratulated.

"What kind?!" Minako asked excitedly, hoping to maybe get a recommendation.

"Maybe this game isn't so bad after all," Rei mused.

"Just take your turn, Makoto-chan," Ami pleaded, practically begging for the attention to be taken off of her.

"Okay, okay. Wow, that's a tough one to follow. Hm, let me think…never have I ever…hooked up with a blonde?"

Rei sighed as she put down a finger, Ami put down her second finger, and Minako put down her first.

"Counting Kunzite as a blonde, Minako?" Makoto smirked.

"Not exactly, just counting the _other_ blondes I've been with," she smiled and flipped her hair back.

"Alright, miss promiscuous, take your turn," Rei ordered.

"Never have I ever…um...well…never have I ever…ugh, I've done like, everything, at least probably more than the rest of you…" Minako mused.

"Quit bragging and just think of something!" Rei urged.

"In that case, never have I ever been a shrine maiden."

"Fine, whatever, Ami-chan, go," Rei grumbled while putting down her second finger.

"Never have I ever…given a blow job?" Ami said sounding unsure of herself. Only alcohol had the power to make her admit something so bold. The four other girls put down a finger.

"Really? Not even in your past life with Zoisite?" Usagi questioned.

"Well, we didn't get very many chances to be intimate before…" Ami trailed off, not really wanting to continue down that wretched path of their past.

The mood in the room was suddenly heavy as the girls all looked down in remembrance. Maybe including past lives wasn't such a great idea after all, not when all of them had a life that had tragically been cut short.

Usagi looked up first, lifting the corners of her mouth up to form a light smile.

"I wouldn't trade our memories together from the past for anything in the world, though," Usagi looked at all the girls so they could see the sincerity in their eyes. One by one, they smiled back at her.

"Never have I ever been called an Odango Atama."

"Rei-chan!"

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**Thanks for reading! **

**Narsenic**


	8. Make A Shadow

Endymion was certain she didn't have a shadow. He didn't know how this was possible but he still hadn't seen one. Whether in warm beams of sunlight or the soft glow of the moonlight, there never seemed to be a shadow cast by her. This served his theory that somehow, for some reason unbeknownst to him, he was being haunted by a ghost.

For weeks now, Endymion had been seeing this young woman everywhere he went. In the woods as he trekked, in the meadow he rode his horse in, by the ruins where he went to read, he even saw her in one of the gardens of the palace. That was when he first decided she must be a ghost. The perimeter of the palace was well guarded and no one should have been able to sneak into those private gardens.

The next piece of evidence that she must be a ghost was that she always disappeared. Whenever he saw her and would get up the courage to approach her, if he lost sight of her for even a second, be it something as simple as a tree crossing his line of sight, she was gone. Truthfully, it took a lot for Endymion to work up the courage to approach her. The sight of her always stopped him in his tracks. She was of unsurpassed beauty and it took his breath away. Most of the time he all but gave her the chance to run away, that is, of course, if she were really human. It wasn't his strongest case against her, but it served as evidence nonetheless.

The most convincing piece of evidence Endymion had as of now was her shadow, or lack thereof. She stood now at the shoreline of the sea, staring up at the full moon in wonder. Her whole being seemed to glow so that one could not be sure if she were reflecting the light of the moon or the moon was reflecting her. _And there was no shadow_.

Endymion stared at her from his hiding spot behind a wall, unsure if he should try to approach her. It wasn't right; he knew that, constantly spying on this woman like some perverted stalker. Then again, if she were really a ghost, did propriety really matter? He was transfixed, bewitched even, and there was nothing he could do to stop it, nor did he want it to stop.

Slowly, her beautiful head began to turn towards him. She only seemed to be innoccently looking about her until she locked eyes with him. Suddenly her eyes went wide like prey that realized a predator was near. Endymion had never had to chance to look her in the eyes before. He was so lost in the deep blue of them that it took him a moment to realize he was about to lose her again. As her body tensed as if getting ready to bolt, it was his turn for his eyes to go wide, and he swiftly stepped out into the opening, extending an arm towards her.

"Wait!" he shouted in desperation. He couldn't let her get away again.

She looked off in the direction she had been poised to take off to in contemplation, before turning back to him. She seemed unsure; he had a chance.

"Please. Don't run. I'm not going to hurt you. I didn't mean to frighten you." He took a tentative step forward, slowly lowering his arm. He did his best to relax his body so he looked less menacing. In response, she slowly relaxed her shoulders which had been tensed. She still didn't speak.

"What's your name?" Endymion asked softly.

And the sound of her voiced spelled the ending of the world as they knew it. It was a soft, delicate sound that reached into his soul and grasped onto his heart from that moment on to eternity.

"Serenity."

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**Reviews are appreciated!**

**Narsenic**


	9. Missing

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long. I moved to a different state a couple months ago and my boyfriend got rear ended two weeks ago so things have been very busy and stressful and we haven't fully settled in yet so I haven't had much opportunity to write. I've finally got something for you though! **

**This one is going to be a two or three part piece, this part being kind of an intro featuring no romance or cuteness so I apologize for the lack thereof in this, but I swear it'll get there! **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!**

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Minako Aino stood staring in quiet contemplation at the store front. She'd been standing there for a solid five minutes, which was far too long in the opinion of the young woman working retail inside the store, watching her with anxiety. Minako paid her no mind; she was too consumed by her thoughts.

Before she was a Senshi, Minako thought of herself as quite the fashionista. Nowadays, she was lucky if she could remember to buy a new pair of leggings before the fabric wore down and people could make out the pattern of her underwear through them. It just wasn't important anymore, not that it was in the first place, but it had been important to her and _fun_. Now, she stood staring at a black moto jacket that was slightly cropped, wondering if that was too bold, and if she'd ever get her old life back. For now, staring at the store front in the mall at the mannequin was calming her, and giving her a slight sense of normality. After all, she had come here on Senshi business.

Ami had somehow come up with an algorithm to predict Dark Kingdom movements so they could stay ahead of attacks. So far it had been working and they'd foiled several silly marketing schemes to collect energy before the youmas even got a chance to drain any victims. Combining that algorithm with their scanning technology that located dark energy, this store came up as the next target. Minako had already found what she was looking for; a sign on the door stating they were under new management and big sales signs surrounding the entrance. A dead give away that made Minako snort.

Was Beryl, the Queen of the Dark Kingdom evil and powerful as hell? Sure. Were the people she had working for her idiots? Oh yeah, complete and total.

Reluctantly, Minako began to turn away from the store front. She was intent on finding a quiet place to take out her communicator to form a plan of attack with the other Senshi. However, after turning barely 45 degrees, she found herself face to face with someone she recognized.

Minako's eyebrows shot up in surprise for a brief moment, having not seen the girl approach, before she set her face back to its usual neutral position. The girl wouldn't recognize her, not in this form.

"Hello miss," the young red head started, "please, if you wouldn't mind reading this. We're holding a vigil tonight."

The girl extended her arm towards Minako, holding a sheet of paper in her hand. Minako's face stayed set in a grim line. It took all the strength and former acting skills Minako had in her to keep her composure.

Minako stared a long while at the paper before slowly taking the girl's offering. She spared a quick glance at the girl and took note of the large stack of papers the girl had clutched tightly to her chest, as if she were hugging them for strength. Minako knew that hugging the missing person's flier was the closest the girl could get to hugging her friend.

"She's my best friend and she's been missing for a year as of tonight," the girl said sadly, looking at the ground. "She went missing after a youma attack, and, well, we just could use all the thoughts and prayers we can get to bring our friend back. The time and location are at the bottom of the sheet." The girl ended her spiel and went to turn away.

"What's your name?" Minako asked quickly before she could leave. Her voice dripped with sympathy that she had not intended to let slip out.

"Naru," the girl smiled sweetly.

"I hope you find your friend, Naru," Minako said with a sad smile, genuinely meaning it.

Naru returned the same sad smile to her and nodded before turning fully away and walking off to the next person.

'_Naru_,' Minako mused. Minako had heard stories about Naru from Usagi. Not only that, but she had seen Usagi fiercely protecting Naru as Sailor Moon in youma attacks. Minako could finally put two and two together. After a year of fully committing to being a Senshi, Usagi talked less and less of her time as a civilian and it felt like her life before this had become shrouded in mystery. Here was a piece of the puzzle.

Minako watched Naru for a moment as the poor girl tried handing out more fliers to people who pushed right past her. It broke Minako's heart while at the same time she selfishly wondered if there was anyone out there passing out flier's with her own face on it.

Determinedly, Minako turned back to the store front. She decided right there that once this bit of Senshi business was over with this shop, she was taking that jacket home with her. She couldn't wait to hear Rei accuse her of trying to be 'edgy'

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**Please review and let me know if you want to hear the rest of this story! (I'll post it anyway, but it's nice to know!)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Narsenic**


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